TROTTING Addington Decision Appeared Consistent

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28976, 18 August 1959, Page 4

TROTTING Addington Decision Appeared Consistent

The decision of the stipendiary stewards to alter the second and third placings in the Opening Handicap on the first day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s national meeting at Addington on Saturday has aroused considerable comment, much of which is ill-founded.

With You trotted solidly all the way and beat the breaking Dalgelia by a head, with threequarters of a length back to Tara, which trotted solidly all the way. Then there were two and a half lengths back to the tiring Medetta, which also had not made a mistake, with the galloping Karingal right up fifth. Van Ardee, which broke and galloped a furlong and a half just after the start, and Lamie Scott, which broke just short of the post, were next. Many on the course were of the opinion that Medetta, too. had galloped across the line, but a photograph of the finish showed the stewards that Medetta had not broken until he had crossed the line.

The stipendiary stewards lodged an objection against second placing being awarded to Dalgelia on the grounds of galloping. After an inquiry Dalgelia was relegated to third and Tara was promoted to second. It has since been claimed that the stewards should have placed Dalgelia behind Medetta, which had not made a mistake in the race.

The objection against the placing of Dalgelia was made under Rule 287 (2~> which says: “Where the stipendiary stewards decide that any horse by breaking at or near the finishing post has gained thereby such an advantage as to enable it to run into a place before any other horse or horses in the race, they shall place the horse gaining such advantage behind such other horse or horses.” Interpretation of Rule Over the years the interpretation of this rule has caused endless confusion and there have been many contradictory decisions. However, as far as meetings in the Canterbury district are concerned. there has been consistency since the Recruit case, which was decided towards the end of 1957.

Recruit won the Dominion Handicap in November, 1957. but he broke just short of the post His margin over Durban Chief was a head, with half a length to Barravey and three lengths to Cabra.

After an inquiry into the galloping of Recruit, the stewards relegated Recruit to third, and promoted Durban Chief to first and Barravey to second. Mr J. J. Rooney, owner of Recruit, lodged an appeal against the decision. The appeal judges, appointed by the New Zealand Trotting Conference, found that Recruit did. not gain sufficient advantage by breaking - to be placed behind Barravey, but they agreed that he gained sufficient advantage by breaking to finish in front of Durban Chief. They ordered that Durban Chief be placed first and that Recruit be placed second. On Saturday at Addington the stewards obviously decided that by breaking Dalgelia had gained an advantage over Tara, but the advantage gained was insufficient to relegate the horse to fourth and promote Medetta, which finished slightly more than three lengths from him. The decision appeared to be in line with others given at Canterbury trotting meetings held since the Recruit appeal finding.

With You, the winner of Saturday’s race, figured in one of three inquiries held into breaking horses at the Ashburton winter meeting on May 30 and June 1. With You won the Stewards’ Handicap by half a length from 'Alight, with a length to Billy Again and half a length to Kaboon. With You broke a few yards short of the post. In that case the stewards apparently found that With You had gained an advantage over the next three horses to finish and he was relegated to fourth.

On the second day at Ashburton Clackmannan broke short of the post in the Longbeach Handicap and beat Kennoway by a neck, with a length to Foam and a nose to Glorified. The stewards decided that Clackmannan had gained an advantage ever too many horses to be entitled to any of the stake and he was disqualified for the race. The third inquiry at the Ashburton meeting concerned Court Out, which finished fourth in a break. She was disqualified. On rare occasions there have been no alterations made to placings when a horse. other than the winner, has broken near the finish. Usually it has been found that the breaking horse has been too far in front of his nearest rival to gain any advantage by breaking. The consistency with which horses breaking near the finish of races for trotters in Canterbury have been dealt with has done much to overcome the criticism which was common before the Recruit case was decided. All that remains now is for the executive of the New Zealand Trotting Conference to ensure that the same interpretation is given to Rule 287 (2) in other parts of New Zealand, particularly in the Auckland district, where decisions in the last 12 months have varied considerably.